01/23/96, 4FAX# 2588
Tips on mksysb for AIX 3.2.4 and Beyond
SPECIAL NOTICES
Information in this document is correct to the best of our
knowledge at the time of this writing. Please send feedback
by fax to "AIXServ Information" at (512) 823-4009.
Please use this information with care. IBM will not be
responsible for damages of any kind resulting from its use.
The use of this information is the sole responsibility of
the customer and depends on the customer's ability to eval-
uate and integrate this information into the customer's
operational environment.
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| NOTE: The information in this document is NOT appli- |
| cable for AIX 4.1. |
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ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT
This document is a collection of tips on the use of mksysb
in AIX 3.2. It is divided into the following sections:
Considerations Before Backing Up With mksysb . . . . . 2
Backing Up the System Disk in AIX 3.2 . . . . . . . . . 2
Verifying the mksysb Backup . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Troubleshooting Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Doing a mksysb to a Networked File System . . . . . . . 4
Known Software Defects With mksysb After AIX 3.2.4 . . 4
Common Configuration and Setup Errors . . . . . . . . . 5
About Blocksize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
About Density and rmtX.Y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Reading/Restoring a File from a mksysb Tape . . . . . . 7
Installing a System from a mksysb Tape . . . . . . . . 8
Related Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Faxing a Problem Report and Ordering a Fix Tape . . . . 8
Reader's Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
For information on the limitations of mksysb restoration,
order fax number 2769 ("Limitations of mksysb Restoration")
from 1-800-IBM-4FAX.
For information on saving and restoring acl and tcb attri-
butes, order fax number 2685 (Backup and Restore Access
Control Lists During mksysb) from 1-800-IBM-4FAX.
ATTENTION READERS OUTSIDE THE U.S.: You can order the above
faxes and others mentioned later in this document by calling
415-855-4FAX from a fax machine phone.
Tips on mksysb for AIX 3.2.4 and Beyond 1
01/23/96, 4FAX# 2588
CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE BACKING UP WITH MKSYSB
o Please note that if you have InfoExplorer accessed via
NFS or on a CD-ROM, the files under the mount point will
not be backed up unless the file system containing
InfoExplorer is unmounted.
o If the ksh option "noclobber" is set, mksysb will fail
in the BOSboot section.
BACKING UP THE SYSTEM DISK IN AIX 3.2
The following are three different ways of calling the mksysb
program to do a complete backup of all the JFS mounted file
systems in the ROOTVG volume group.
Three ways to back up rootvg volume group.
smit startup
smit mksysb
mkszfile && mksysb /dev/rmtX.Y 2>&1 | tee /tmp/mksysb.out
If you have more than one volume group (use "lsvg" to
check), you must use one of the backup commands (backup,
tar, pax or cpio) to back up the other volume groups, since
mksysb only backs up the ROOTVG volume group.
The mksysb backup makes a bootable tape that can be used to
completely rebuild your system or to recover one or more
files. It backs up everything in the ROOTVG volume group,
including the ODM (Object Data Manager) data base. The ODM
contains device configuration data.
To make a mksysb bootable backup,
1. Log in as the "root" user
2. Type: "smit startup"
3. Select: "Backup the System"
You will be asked to fill in the following screen:
FORCE increase of work space if needed no
* Backup DEVICE or FILE {}
(example: /dev/rfd0)
Fill in the correct device name to be used for the backup.
Press the Enter key to start the backup.
If the backup takes more than one tape, smit will prompt you
to change the tape and press Enter. When the backup is fin-
ished, make sure it completed successfully; errors can be
seen in the smit.log file in the directory where the mksysb
was executed.
Tips on mksysb for AIX 3.2.4 and Beyond 2
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Verifying the mksysb Backup
After the backup is complete, it is a good idea to verify
the tape. Verification can be done by checking the tar
image and bootable portion as follows:
To check the tar image of the data on the tape, use the fol-
lowing commands:
tctl -f /dev/rmtX rewind
tctl -f /dev/rmtX.Y fsf 3
pax -vf /dev/rmtX
Check the output for any error messages.
To check the bootable portion, you will have to put the key
in the service position and reboot the system with the tape
in the drive. Once the menu appears, switch the key back to
the Normal position and reboot the system. Always check to
see that you have at least one good bootable tape. If for
some reason your mksysb tape is not bootable, you can
reinstall a mksysb tape using a set of bosboot diskettes.
Since the mksysb tape can be used to completely rebuild your
system, it is important that several backup tapes be main-
tained and that these backups are done frequently. If you
have questions about a backup schedule that is appropriate
for your business, contact one of the following:
o local branch office
o your point of sale
o 1-800-CALL-AIX (to register for fee-based services)
All of the above avenues for assistance may be billable.
TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS
1. If you get errors from mksysb, check the FIRST error
message given. This is the one that indicates the
direct cause of the problem.
2. Make sure you have enough free blocks in the file
systems to write temporary files. See "Common
Confuration and Setup Errors", error code 0512-016.
3. Make sure you are using the correct tape type for the
density setting selected. See "About Density and
rmtX.Y".
4. Check that the block size is properly set. See "About
Blocksize".
5. Make sure the tape IS NOT write protected. See "common
Configuration and Setup Errors", error code 0512-016,
return code 2.
6. Clean the tape drive at the recommended intervals and
only use approved data grade tapes (not video tapes for
8mm).
Tips on mksysb for AIX 3.2.4 and Beyond 3
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7. Check the file smit.log (located in the directory where
the mksysb was executed) for any errors from smit.
8. 7206 4mm DAT tape drives can only use DAT tapes marked
with the "DDS ||||" symbol. Any other DAT tapes (i.e.,
voice grade) will not work.
9. Each of the file systems must have at least 500 blocks
free when the mksysb backup is made. The system will
need some work space in each file system when it is
installing from a mksysb backup. Refer to "common Con-
figuration and Setup Errors".
10. Be sure your mksysb backup is made with a current
".fs.size" file. If you create your mksysb backup
through smit, it will do this automatically. If you run
mksysb from the command line, you need to run "mkszfile"
first:
mkszfile && mksysb /dev/rmtX.Y 2>&1 | tee /tmp/mksysb.out
DOING A MKSYSB TO A NETWORKED FILE SYSTEM
The procedure for doing a mksysb to a networked file system
is documented in the installation guide in the chapter "Cre-
ating an Installation Server."
KNOWN SOFTWARE DEFECTS WITH MKSYSB AFTER AIX 3.2.4
o 7318 attached tty configurations are not backed up by
mksysb.
Fix: IX48513
o "0512-005 mksysb failed"
If this is the FIRST error message in the output and the
system level is 3.2.5, check the output for files that
were not backed up. This error message occurs because
tar has been changed to return an error code if it
cannot find one or more of the files from the list that
the find command builds. The user needs to determine if
it is acceptable that the particular files are missing.
Fix: IX41023 and IX40808
o A mksysb from ASCII SMIT runs longer than it did in the
previous release by a factor of three or more.
Workaround: Instead of using SMIT, run "mkszfile &&
mksysb" from the command line:
mkszfile && mksysb /dev/rmtX.Y 2>&1 | tee /tmp/mksysb.out
Fix: IX40960
o "Catastrophe in realloc, invalid storage ptr" during a
mksysb from MOTIF SMIT with X11r5.
Fix: IX39680
Tips on mksysb for AIX 3.2.4 and Beyond 4
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o Non-JFS mount points are not backed up by mksysb.
Fix: IX41017
o Mksysb does not backup the ACL list or TCB attributes.
Fix: IX41592
o 0512-010 -- Mksysb fails to create backup list.
Fix: IX44315
o Tar does not return consistent return codes.
Fix: IX43796
COMMON CONFIGURATION AND SETUP ERRORS
o "A system call received an invalid argument."
If you are using a 1/4" tape drive, this unnumbered
message indicates that the tape cartridge cannot be used
to write at the density specified.
For more information on tape drive densities, order fax
number 1896 ("Tape Drive Densities and Special Files")
from 1-800-IBM-4FAX.
o "0512-004: The /.fs.size file does not exist. System
backup canceled."
Either the / or /tmp file system is not big enough, or
mksysb was run outside of smit (from the command line or
from a script) without the mkszfile command being run
first. Use this syntax when running mksysb from the
command line:
mkszfile && mksysb /dev/rmtX.Y 2>&1 | tee /tmp/mksysb.out
o "0512-016: Attempt to create a bootable tape failed:"
"bosboot -d /dev/device -a failed with return code
NUMBER" (OR)
"mkinsttape /dev/device failed with return code
NUMBER"
where "NUMBER" is:
2 Media is write protected.
5 OR 1 Not enough space in the file systems.
/ must have at least 500 1K blocks
/tmp must have at least 7400 1K blocks
/usr must have at least 4000 1K blocks
11 Defective tape.
Tips on mksysb for AIX 3.2.4 and Beyond 5
01/23/96, 4FAX# 2588
42 OR 45 /usr/lib/boot/unix is corrupted (maybe 0
length) or the link to /unix is missing.
Restore from original tape or create the
missing link.
48 Cannot write to the tape drive or cannot read
/dev/blv.
This is probably caused by an incorrect
density setting for the tape-drive/tape-
type/device-name combination. It could also
be caused by a tape drive hardware problem or
by dirty tape heads on the tape drive.
If you are still experiencing configuration problems and
need further assistance, contact one of the following:
o local branch office
o your point of sale
o 1-800-CALL-AIX (to register for fee-based services)
All of the above avenues for assistance may be billable.
ABOUT BLOCKSIZE
Tape Size Recommended Blocksize
--------- ---------------------
8 mm 1024
1/4 " 512
For more detailed information regarding tape device drivers,
order fax number 2208 ("Tape Device Drivers Notes for AIX
3.1 and 3.2") from 1-800-IBM-4FAX.
ABOUT DENSITY AND RMTX.Y
There are two density settings in AIX. You can see and
change the density settings by typing "smit chgtpe". Here
are some possible values for the density settings:
Density Format Drive Type
------- ------ ----------
17 QIC 525 7207 Model 011
16 QIC 150 7207 Model 011
15 QIC 120 7207 Model 011
NOTE: Density "00" is the factory
power-on default or the last saved permanent MODE select
density as set by the using system. The default is
QIC 525 for 7207 Model 011.
There are eight rmtX.Y drive specifications, where "X" is a
number specifying the drive and "Y" is a number specifying
the drive action.
Tips on mksysb for AIX 3.2.4 and Beyond 6
01/23/96, 4FAX# 2588
Special File Retension Setting Rewind Setting Density Setting
------------ ----------------- -------------- ---------------
rmtX no yes 1
rmtX.1 no no 1
rmtX.2 yes yes 1
rmtX.3 yes no 1
rmtX.4 no yes 2
rmtX.5 no no 2
rmtX.6 yes yes 2
rmtX.7 yes no 2
EXAMPLE: For a 7207-011 tape drive with settings
DENSITY setting #1 {17}
DENSITY setting #2 {16}
you would use
o a 6525 (QIC 525) tape for "rmtX", "rmtX.1", "rmtX.2" &
"rmtX.3"
o a 6250 (QIC 150) tape for "rmtX.4", "rmtX.5", "rmtX.6" &
"rmtX.7"
For further tape drive configuration information, order doc-
ument 1896 ("Tape Drive Densities and Special Files") from
the IBM Fax Information Service, 1-800-IBM-4FAX.
READING/RESTORING A FILE FROM A MKSYSB TAPE
The mksysb tape is written as four separate files of data.
The first three files are the bootable portion and the
fourth file contains the actual data. Here, we use the
"tctl" command to skip past the boot partitions.
In the following commands, "Y" must indicate a no-rewind
device.
To read the table of contents from the tape:
tctl -f /dev/rmtX rewind
tctl -f /dev/rmtX.Y fsf 3
tar -tvf /dev/rmtX
To restore a file:
cd /
tctl -f /dev/rmtX rewind
tctl -f /dev/rmtX.Y fsf 3
tar -xvf /dev/rmtX ./path_name/file_name
NOTE: The path name must start with a '.' because a mksysb
backup is a relative backup.
Tips on mksysb for AIX 3.2.4 and Beyond 7
01/23/96, 4FAX# 2588
INSTALLING A SYSTEM FROM A MKSYSB TAPE
You can install a system from a mksysb tape by following the
steps listed in chapter 3 of the AIX Installation Guide.
Please be aware of the following error conditions which
could occur during an installation from a mksysb tape:
o Resource allocation errors occur during the creation of
logical volumes.
When a system is installed from a mksysb tape, the
paging space is recreated at twice the size of main
memory at the time of the reinstallation (unless main
memory is greater than 32 MB, in which case paging space
is created at the size of main memory plus 16 MB). The
paging space will be allocated across the physical disks
that you are installing across but will not take up more
than 20 percent of any one disk. If you have increased
memory and if there is not enough free disk space to
hold the corresponding increase in paging space, there
will be problems with the creation of logical volumes
during installation.
If you encounter this error, you should leave the system
as it is and contact your branch office to discuss the
recovery options.
o Tar fails with a return code 1 while it is restoring the
files.
This means that one of the file systems has run out of
free space.
If you encounter this error, you should leave the system
as it is and contact your branch office to discuss the
recovery options. There is more than one way to
recover, and your branch office can help you determine
the best method for your situation.
RELATED INFORMATION
See the AIX documentation for mkszfile, mksysb, tctl, tar,
dd, and pax for additional information.
FAXING A PROBLEM REPORT AND ORDERING A FIX TAPE
If you have checked all of the above and need us to send a
fix for a known problem, or if you are still having a
problem that you believe is a software defect, fill in the
following problem report form and fax it to 512-823-9468.
Tips on mksysb for AIX 3.2.4 and Beyond 8
01/23/96, 4FAX# 2588
AIX RISC SYSTEM/6000 PROBLEM REPORT COMMANDS GROUP
Fax to 512/823-9468
Customer Number _________________ Contact Name _____________________________
(Required Field)
Problem # (if already open problem) ________________________________________
Company Name ____________________________________________________________
Address #1 ____________________________________________________________
Address #2 ____________________________________________________________
City, ST, Zip ____________________________________________________________
Voice Phone # _____-_____-______________
Fax Phone # _____-_____-______________
System Model # __________________________ AIX S/W level ___________________
(Use lslpp -h bos.obj to check)
Failing Command __________________________
Exact error message ________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Tape drive model number __________________ Tape type _______________________
(Use smit chgtpe to view the following:)
(If available:) Density #1 setting __________ Density #2 setting ___________
Extended file marks ____ Data compression ____ Block size____
Problem description and how to recreate: ___________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
If your problem description matches one of the known software defects,
check to see if the corresponding PTF is already installed on your system.
Use lslpp -h U###### and if there is no output, you need to order that PTF.
If there is an output when doing the lslpp -h command, please write the
results on the line below:
lslpp output:_______________________________________________________________
Preferred update media: 8mm _________ 1/4 inch ______________
*** Please fax the above form to (512) 823-9468 ***
Tips on mksysb for AIX 3.2.4 and Beyond 9
01/23/96, 4FAX# 2588
READER'S COMMENTS
Please fax this form to (512) 823-4009, attention "AIXServ Informa-
tion". You may also e-mail comments to: elizabet@austin.ibm.com.
These comments should include the same customer information requested
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END OF DOCUMENT (mksysb.324+.bak, 4FAX# 2588)
Tips on mksysb for AIX 3.2.4 and Beyond 10